Throttle body causes vehicle to lose power
By Doug McAllister
Q, Last winter and the winter before when it was below freezing, my 2006 Chevrolet HHR displayed a "reduced engine power" message, and I couldn't go over about 5 miles per hour. This past winter when I was driving my Bichon to the vet, I had to pull over and stop the car. After a short time, I restarted the engine and had power back. Thank heavens. I didn't want my little dog and me to freeze to death.
I took the car to the Chevy dealer with the Check Engine light on. They said I needed a throttle body assembly. Condensation was found in throttle body assembly and PCV system, with a need to remove and clean the intake ports and valve cover. Estimate cost, $1,154.36.
They must have done something because the Check Engine warning light went out. I'm a senior woman with a really tight budget and no room for this expense. My question is do I really need it? There's no problems in the warm and mild weather. It appears only the intense cold affects the engine. What's going on?
A. Some GM cars have had throttle body problems and the cold does seem to accentuate them. My guess is you may have problems again when we get into the really cold weather, but you could give it a try.
If you do short-trip driving, you may not be getting the engine hot enough long enough to burn off the condensation they are talking about. Even without the cold weather though, we have seen a fair amount of throttle body failures. If it happens again, you should be able to limp the car home under reduced power.
A new throttle body installed should be around $550. I don't know about the condensation issue without seeing the car and there may be another way to address that. I hope this was helpful and good luck.
Q. We have an ongoing problem with our 2015 VW Passat with a 1.8-liter, turbocharged TSI four-cylinder engine and 6,400 miles. The problem is a 4- to 5-second hesitation with the engine in drive after a stop light while making a left turn.
This hesitation is also encountered after we back out of the garage in the morning. After shifting into drive to move forward, the hesitation is more pronounced. After driving forward about one block, while making a left turn onto another street, this hesitation is no longer as predominant. However, it can happen even after the engine is warmed up or while moving forward after a stop light. It seems like the engine loses power for the few seconds, but if you press down further on the gas peddle, the car will lurch forward.
We have been to the dealer and they said this is normal. My wife feels very unsafe driving this car and has become very careful not to enter into traffic because of this problem.
The dealer suggested using brand-name premium gasoline, but even after many tanks full of premium grade gas the problem comes and goes. The dealer also suggested if we still have this problem to come back and they will get a rep from VW to look at it.
A. I am sure this is very frustrating because this car is so new. I am wondering if this problem has always been there and I am also wondering what kind of transmission your car has.
There have been some complaints about the driving characteristics of the Volkswagen DSG transmission. This is a dual-clutch automatic transmission that is supposed to emulate a manual transmission in the way it shifts. Some drivers have complained about a slight delay after releasing the brake. I am wondering if this is why they said "It's normal."
If you still don't feel the car is driving properly, I would recommend driving with the service adviser or a technician so you can show them exactly what the car is doing. I think having a rep from VW out will be the next step if you can't get this resolved. Sometimes it is just a computer programming update that will be needed.
• Douglas Automotive is at 417 W. Main St., Barrington; 123 Virginia Road, Crystal Lake; and 416 Northwest Hwy., Fox River Grove. For information, visit douglasautomotive.com. Send questions to underthehood@dailyherald.com.